21 Ways to Prepare for a Better Business in 2021: Establish Influence

Yesterday, we announced that there were only 21 days left in this year.

We committed to sharing 21 ways you can prepare your business for a better 2021 for your business, and we started off with Phase 1: Value.

Today, in this second post of the series, we're focusing on establishing and expanding influence. Ready for Phase 2?

PHASE 2: INFLUENCE

6. Keep pitching.

At Dent one of our maxims is this:

You get what you pitch for, and you're always pitching.

When cities shut down and economies fell, businesses around the world had to think and act quickly to reassure existing clients and sign on new ones. Entrepreneurs pitched as if their business's survival depended on it – because it did.

Although many pitches were unsuccessful or simply forgotten, some pitches were more successful than others. Not only did clients stay on, but new clients came in. What was the secret?

Clarity. Entrepreneurs who offered a sense of clarity amidst all the chaos – even when they weren't always clear themselves – gained the confidence and trust of others. And they offered this sense of clarity with an effective pitch that communicated and reminded people "This is who we are, this is what we do, we are still committed to our vision, our mission, and our work with you." (You can check out Daniel discussing this idea HERE.)

So in 2021, keep pitching. And if you want some help in perfecting your pitch, check out Glen and Daniel's podcast episode all about pitching HERE.

7. Be prolific.

One thing that definitely took the backseat in the face of this year's health and economic crisis? Perfectionism. Emails, blogs, videos, podcast episodes and all sorts of content came out at high speed. Businesses were eager to be heard and seen discussing what they believed were things that their audience needed to hear. But it wasn't just for attention. A lot of the content that was published was out of service.

Accountants published blog after blog to share what they felt people needed to know to get financial support. Fitness trainers published videos of workouts people could do at home to stay healthy. Chefs shared recipes so that people could enjoy their favourite meals at home. Creatives shared content that helped to uplift people from the worries of the lockdown. Through this digital content, people came to know, like and trust them.

In 2021, don't let the perfectionism creep back in. Prolific beats perfect. 99% of an article is no article. A nearly-finished video is no video. Don't wait too long to publish your best ideas with your audience because publishing the right content consistently is what will quickly position you as an authority in your field.

You can learn more about why prolific beats perfect HERE, and why digital media assets are the new cup of coffee HERE.

8. Develop your product ecosystem.

In Phase 1 we talked about creating an offer, your full and remarkable solution to the problem that you solve for your clients. This offer is what you do and what you bring to the table, packaged into one product that what will generate you revenue. In the early stages of business (or a business being reinvented), that core offer is what you focus on, because without it, you either have nothing to sell your you get stuck trading time for money.

If you've got your core offer in place, you can then develop a product ecosystem around it for your business. A great product ecosystem will not only generate you revenue and profit, but also attention and trust within your industry and from clients.

You can check out this VIDEO to learn more about the four products that make up a successful product ecosystem and business.

9. Be more Google-able – for the right reasons.

Showing up online in the right ways has become increasingly important over the last decade, but it's become even more important now as your potential clients and partners adapt to this new normal of remote working and online meetings. Looking people up is not just easy, it's almost necessary in order to be able to do business with someone you've never met in person.

If people Googled you, what would they find? Would the results help or hurt your business? Your name may not be tied to a scandal, but in business it's just as bad for your business if there's not enough – or even nothing – to be found about you. You can't establish influence and expand it if you simply don't come up, as Daniel explains in this VIDEO.

The good news: being more Google-able in 2021 can actually start today. A quick one you can do right now: upload a recent and professional profile photo across all your social media accounts, and make sure your short bio is clear not clever.

10. Don't try to do it all alone.

How do you know when someone is influential? Typically, their names come up in relevant conversations, they get the right sort of attention, and more importantly, people want to work with them. An entrepreneur who tries to do it all alone doesn't come across as influential as the entrepreneur who's collaborating other entrepreneurs or partnering with other brands to achieve their mission.

Someone woke up today with the missing piece you need, and likewise, you hold the missing piece for someone else. So have a think: what is one thing that you think could really change your business if only you had it? Who do you know who might have it or might know someone who does? And what is it that you have that might be of value to someone else?

When you and your business are ready, forming a good partnership in 2021 could be truly game-changing for your business, and you can find more tips on this HERE.

Bonus: Want to zoom out and see how these pieces fit for your business? You can check out this VIDEO for some big picture thinking.

In the next article in this series, we'll share some ideas around Phase 3: Assets. Once you establish and expand your influence, you'll become more visible, valuable and connected in your industry, and you'll need the right assets to maintain that influence, keep your business running like a well-oiled machine, and get it ready to scale.